1998 FORD F150 steering

reduce your ability to see
through your windshield. Also,
avoid placing small objects on
top of your instrument panel.
These objects can fall down into
the defroster outlets and block
airflow and possibly damage
your climate control system.
POSITIONS OF THE IGNITION
1. ACCESSORY, allows the
electrical accessories such as the
radio to operate while the engine
is not running.
2. LOCK, locks the steering wheel,
automatic transmission gearshift
lever and allows key removal.
3. OFF, shuts off the engine and all
accessories without locking the
steering wheel.
4. ON, all electrical circuits
operational. Warning lights
illuminated. Key position when
driving.
5. START, cranks the engine.
Release the key as soon as the
engine starts.
TURN SIGNAL CONTROL
²Push down to activate the left
turn signal.
²Push up to activate the right
turn signal.
1
23
4
5
Controls and features
27

Pull the steering control toward
you to move the steering wheel up
or down. Hold the control while
adjusting the wheel to the desired
position, then release the control
to lock the steering wheel in
position.
Never adjust the steering
wheel when the vehicle is
moving.
HAZARD FLASHER
For information on the hazard
flasher control, refer toHazard
lights controlin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
Controls and features
33

The right front passenger
air bag is not designed to
restrain occupants in the center
front seating position.
All occupants of the
vehicle including the driver
should always wear their safety
belts even when air bag SRS is
provided.
Do not place objects or
mount equipment on or
near the air bag cover on the
steering wheel or in front seat
areas that may come into contact
with a deploying air bag. Failure
to follow this instruction may
increase the risk of personal
injury in the event of a collision.
Do not attempt to service,
repair, or modify the Air
Bag Supplemental Restraint
System or its fuses. See your
Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Children and air bags
For additional important safety
information, read all information
on safety restraints in this guide.
Children should always wear their
safety belts. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk
of injury in a collision.
Seating and safety restraints
61

shudder while braking, felt mainly
in the steering wheel, the vehicle
most likely needs service.
The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lock up during
brake applications and
compensating for this tendency.
The front wheels are prevented
from locking even when the brakes
are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during
hard braking.
ABS warning lamp
The
ABSwarning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates for
about five seconds when starting
the vehicle. If an ABS fault is
detected, the light will remain on
and your vehicle should be
serviced as soon as possible.
Normal braking is still effective
unless the BRAKE warning lamp is
also illuminated.
Using ABS
²In an emergency or when
maximum efficiency from the
ABS is required, apply
continuous full force on the
brake. The ABS will be activated
immediately, thus allowing you
to retain full steering control of
your vehicle and, providing
!
BRAKE
Driving
84

4. Move the 4WD control to the 4H
or 4L position.
Driving off-road with 4WD
Your vehicle is specially equipped
for driving on sand, snow, mud and
rough terrain and has operating
characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional
vehicles, both on and off the road.
The following information will help
you learn to properly use 4WD.
When using 4WD, maintain
steering wheel control at all times,
especially in rough terrain. Since
sudden changes in terrain can
result in abrupt steering wheel
motion, make sure you grip the
steering wheel from the outside.
Do not grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle
damage from concealed objects
such as rocks and stumps.
You should either know the terrain
or examine maps of the area
before driving. Map out your route
before driving in the area. For
more information on driving
off-road, read the ªFour Wheelingº
supplement in your owner's
portfolio.4H
2H
4L
Driving
104

hill before driving over the crest.
When climbing a steep hill, start in
a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from
a higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the
engine and the possibility of
stalling.
When descending a steep hill,
avoid sudden braking. Rapid
pumping of the brake pedal will
help slow the vehicle and still
maintain steering control.
When speed control is on and you
are driving uphill, your vehicle
speed may drop considerably,
especially if you are carrying a
heavy load.
If vehicle speed drops more than
15±25 km/h (8±14 mph), the speed
control will cancel automatically.
Resume speed with accelerator
pedal.
If speed control cancels after
climbing the hill, reset speed by
pressing and holding the SET
ACCEL button (to resume speeds
over 50 km/h (30 mph).
Automatic transmission may shift
frequently while driving up steep
grades. Eliminate frequent shifting
by shifting out of
D(Overdrive)
into D (Drive).
Driving on snow and ice
A 4WD vehicle has advantages
over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice
but can skid like any other vehicle.
Driving
107

HAZARD LIGHTS CONTROL
Use only in an emergency to warn
traffic of vehicle breakdown,
approaching danger, etc. The
hazard flashers can be operated
when the ignition is off.
²The hazard lights control is
located on top of the steering
column.
²Depress hazard lights control to
activate all hazard flashers
simultaneously.
²Depress control again to turn
the flashers off.
FUEL PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH
If the engine cranks but does not
start after a collision, the fuel
pump shut-off switch may have
been activated. The shut-off switch
is a device intended to stop the
electric fuel pump when your
vehicle has been involved in a
substantial jolt.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the
OFF position.
2. Check the fuel system for leaks.
3. If no fuel leak is apparent, reset
the fuel pump shut-off switch by
pushing in the button on the
switch.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the
ON position. Pause for a few
seconds and return the key to the
OFF position.
Roadside emergencies
131

Always replace a fuse with
one that has the specified
amperage rating. Using a fuse
with a higher amperage rating
can cause severe wire damage
and could start a fire.
Standard fuse amperage rating
and color
Fuse rating Color
5 amp Tan
7.5 amp Brown
10 amp Red
15 amp Light blue
20 amp Yellow
20 amp fuse link Light blue
25 amp Natural
30 amp Light green
30 amp fuse link Pink
40 amp fuse link Green
50 amp fuse link Red
60 amp fuse link Yellow
80 amp fuse link Black
100 amp fuse link Dark blue
Passenger compartment fuse
panel
The fuse panel is located below
and to the left of the steering
wheel by the brake pedal. Pull the
panel cover outward to access the
fuses.
To remove a fuse use the fuse
puller tool provided on the fuse
panel cover.
Roadside emergencies
133